National Center for Accessible
Information Technology in Education
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph. D., Co-Director
Terry Thompson, Technical Specialist
Distance Learning:
Policies & Practices
that Promote Accessible Design
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph. D.
Director, DO-IT, AccessSTEM
Co-Director, AccessIT University
of Washington
Sponsors of DL Courses
Postsecondary institutions
K-12 schools
Online learning organizations
Employee training of businesses &
non-profit organizations
DL Methods & Tools
On-Site Instruction
Internet-Based Communication
Printed Materials
Telephone Conferences
Video Conferences
Web Pages
Video/Multimedia Presentations
www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/
distance.learn.html
DL has potential advantages for
students who:
Are shy, less confident learners
Are slow readers, learners
Are poor writers/spellers
Learn in multiple ways
Live in rural areas
Are interested in specialized topics
Have time, schedule, or location constraints
Are home-bound
Are deaf or blind or have low vision
DL Access Challenges for people with
Blindness
Other Visual Impairments
Specific Learning Disabilities
Mobility Impairments
Hearing Impairments
Speech Impairments
Seizure Disorders
Distance Learning Literature
Disability issues are rarely mentioned.
“Increasing access to educational opportunity,” a
common goal, usually refers to reaching out to people
who are off-campus, live in remote areas, have limited
schedules.
If limitations of access at the user end are considered
at all, they generally deal with computer/network
capacity.
Many DL program websites pose accessibility barriers.
Few programs have policies that address disability-
related accessibility issues.
Universal Design
“the design of products and environments
to be usable by all people, to the greatest
extent possible, without the need for
adaptation or specialized design”, Ron
Mace, Center for Universal Design, North
Carolina State University
Problem Solution
Computer Assistive
Access technology
Web Universal
access design
Need for:
Universal design (proactive) &
accommodations (reactive)
Policies & procedures that
address both
Web Accessibility
WAI’s Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines
www.w3.org/WAI/
Access Board (Section 508)
Standards
www.access-board.gov/
sec508/508standards.htm
Example: Universal Design of
Video/Multimedia Presentation
Videotaped with captions in mind
Large, clear captions
Designed so that key content is spoken as
well as demonstrated visually
Audio-described version available
www.washington.edu/doit/Brochures/Technology/
vid_sensory.html
Universal Design of DL Benefits People
with disabilities
with differences in attention/perception
with situational limitations
whose first language is not the one in which
the course is taught
with older equipment
using different web browsers
using handheld display units & other new
technology
…
Justification for Accessible Design
unethical to bar some eligible
participants from program access
legislation mandates program
accessibility
applying accessible design is a best
practice for all students
costly redesign may be required when a
student with a disability enrolls in an
inaccessible course
Examples: DL Accessibility Policies
California Community Colleges, 1999
Michigan Virtual University: Standards
for Quality Online Courses—
technology, usability, accessibility, &
instructional design
Reference (in press)
Article: The Development of
Accessibility Indicators for Distance
Learning Programs
by Sheryl Burgstahler
Research in Learning Technology
ALT-J
Research Question
What are program-level policies
and practices related to delivering
courses that are fully accessible to
students with disabilities and what
are examples of each?
Research Steps
draft list of DLP accessibility indicators
collect examples of applications of the
indicators in DL programs
apply the indicators to UW DL program
gather input from DL programs to
refine items on the list, & encourage
them to adopt the indicators.
DLP Accessibility Indicators for:
Students, potential students (#1-5)
DL designers (#6, 7)
DL instructors (#8)
DL program evaluators (#9, 10)
DLP Accessibility Indicator 1
The DL home page is accessible to
individuals with disabilities (e.g., adheres
to Section 508, WCAG, or institutional
accessible-design guidelines/standards).
University of Wisconsin Continuing
Education & Outreach
http://www.wisc.edu/wiscinfo/outreach/
DLP Accessibility Indicator 2
A statement about the DL program's commit-
ment to accessible design for all potential
students, including those with disabilities, is
included prominently in appropriate publica-
tions & websites, along with contact informa-
tion for reporting inaccessible design features.
Virtual Classroom, Mt. San Antonio College
http://vclass.mtsac.edu/: “This page is design-
ed to be accessible to all users. If you have any
questions or concerns, please contact …”
DLP Accessibility Indicator 3
A statement about how DL students with
disabilities can request accommodations is in
appropriate publications & web pages.
University of South Carolina Student
Guidebook: Policies and Procedures for
Distanced Education Classes
http://www.uscupstate.edu/academics/distance/
guidebook_students.pdf
DLP Accessibility Indicator 3, cont.
Students requiring accommodations for disabilities or
learning needs are advised to contact the Office of
Disability Services (864) 503-5199. The staff works to
ensure accessibility for all university programs, services,
& activities in compliance with Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 & the Americans with
Disabilities Act. Services offered include priority
registration, test proctoring, classroom adaptation, sign
language interpreters, readers, & note takers.
DLP Accessibility Indicator 4
A statement about how people can obtain
alternate formats of printed materials is
included in publications.
University of Minnesota Independent and
Distance Learning Course Catalogue: “This
publication is available in alternative formats on
request. Call One Stop Student Services (800-
400-8636) for assistance.”
DLP Accessibility Indicator 5
The online & other course materials
of DL courses are accessible to
individuals with disabilities.
Test compliance with adopted
standards, guidelines
DLP Accessibility Indicator 6
Publications & web pages for DL course design-
ers include: a) a statement of the program's
commitment to accessibility, b) guidelines/
standards regarding accessibility, & c) resources.
University of Iowa’s Accessibility Standards for
Web Resources http://cio.uiowa.edu/Policy/
WebAccessibility.htm: “The University of Iowa is
committed to providing equal access to
information, programs, & activities through its
technologies, web pages, services & resources…
DLP Accessibility Indicator 7
Accessibility issues are covered in
regular DL course designer training.
University of Washington DL
designers includes a session on
legal & technical accessibility issues
and Section 508 standards.
DLP Accessibility Indicator 8
Publications & web pages for DL instructors
include a) a statement of the DL program's
commitment to accessibility, b) guidelines/
standards regarding accessibility, & c) resources.
University of Maryland University Accessibility in
Distance Education: A Resource for Faculty in
Online Teaching http://www.umuc.edu/ade/: “The
Accessibility in Distance Education (ADE) Web
site focuses on helping faculty develop
accessible online learning materials for people
with disabilities. It is divided into five major
sections, ...
DLP Accessibility Indicator 9
Accessibility issues are covered in
training sessions for instructors.
Cal State San Marcos Web Accessibility:
Applying ADA Principles to Online
Teaching & Learning http://www.csusm.
edu/ accessibility/onlinecourses/ includes
content & resources from a faculty
training session.
DLP Accessibility Indicator 10
A system is in place to monitor the accessibility
of courses, and, on the basis of this evaluation,
the program takes actions to improve the
accessibility of specific courses & to update
information & training given to potential stu-
dents, students, course designers, & instructors.
UW applies quality assurance tests to courses
before delivered. Included is accessibility review.
Barriers to accessibility recorded & removed in
course updates.
UW Implementation Goal
To make distance learning courses
at the University of Washington
accessible to all students and
instructors.
UW Project Partners
Extension Online Learning
Access Technology Lab (ATL)
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities,
Internetworking and Technology)
Disabled Student Services
Campus-wide Efforts
ATL works with Educational Technology Group to
promote accessible tools & course materials
ATL stand-alone accessibility presentations; integration
of accessibility into mainstream Web & other
technology courses
Web accessibility campus Web page established
AccessWeb discussion list established & group began
meeting
UW Distance Learning,
a Work in Progress
Distance learning program established 1912
(now Online Learning)
1995 first course using the Internet
(Burgstahler & Coombs, employed
accessible design)
200+ courses serving 10,000+ annually
Initial State:
DL program included policy/
procedures statements on website
regarding reasonable
accommodations for students with
disabilities
Technology:
Course delivery system developed
with campus Computing &
Communications (C&C) & suite of
course tools developed by campus
Educational Technology Group &
C&C
Progress with UW DL
Determined that UW policy of commitment to
nondiscrimination & reasonable accommodation
(Section 504 & ADA) was enough to justify
development of accessibility guidelines & efforts
Training provided to DL program staff; buy-in
secured at management & implementation levels;
responsibility assigned
Began to systemically change approach from
accommodation
to universal design + accommodation
UW DL Progress, cont.
Identified places on DL program Web pages
to reaffirm UW policy
All but one indicator implemented
Accessibility content included in DL
Certificate Program & in Introduction to Web
publishing course (accessible design required
in the final project)
UW DL Program Rewards
Compliance with laws
Cleaner, better functioning
pages
Improved ease of use for all
students and instructors
Challenges
Faculty education/buy-in
Resources
Technology constraints
Specific courses
Outreach to 16 DL Programs
.5 staff, one year
Beginning: 3 DLP indicators
implemented per school;
ending 4.1 per school
Changes at 3 schools
accounted for 80% of changes
Results suggest:
Incorporating accessibility considerations in program
policies, procedures, & communications:
requires efforts related to students, course designers,
instructors, & evaluators
requires approval & implementation at variety of levels
becomes easier once some initial accessibility policies,
procedures, & communications have been implemented
is an ongoing process that may be implemented in
incremental steps
Resources
www.washington.edu/accessit
Q&As, Case Studies, Promising Practices
AccessDL
www.washington.edu/doit/Resources/
accessdl.html